Percy Jackson and the House at the Beach
by I am that Writer
Summary: Sequel to my story Annabeth Chase and a Night in Paris, which was a sequel to Percy Jackson and the Staff of Hermes, but you can read this without having read that. Percy's point of view. Percy and Annabeth are relaxing on the beach at a beach house with Paul, when they are interrupted and swept up in yet another quest, this time with strange events. . . .
1. Chapter 1

**As I wrote in the summary, this is a sequel to my other story, ****_Annabeth Chase and a Night in Paris_****, which is a sequel to ****_Percy Jackson and the Staff of Hermes_**** in ****_The Demigod Diaries_****. They're all short stories on Percy and Annabeth's month-anniversaries and the unfortunate mini-quests they have to complete. But you can read this without reading my other story (though that's pretty good, and I recommend it!). I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get this out . . . I've had the idea with me for a while, and I apologize to those of you who read my other story and have had to wait for "the sequel at the cabin." Well, I hope you enjoy! This is a short multi-chaptered story, so finished, it will have around six chapters.**

**Oh, and while you're at the mercy of my author's note, go check out and review my House of Hades fic! I promise you, it's pretty awesome!**

**-I am that Writer**

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_**– Percy Jackson and the House at the Beach: A Percabeth Adventure –**_

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**In his room in the early morning of the day,** Percy Jackson yawned and stretched his arms. He stood, shirtless, in front of his open closet doors. The window to his room was cracked open, letting in a cool, fresh, ocean breeze.

That's right. He was at the beach. This was his second day here, with his girlfriend, Annabeth, and his stepdad, Paul. Percy cringed, remembering how hard it had been to convince his mom and Paul to let Annabeth come along; first he'd been grilled on how she was not to sleep in his room, they couldn't talk all night and had to get to bed at a reasonable time; his mom had also worried that with another demigod along, they might attract monsters. But Percy reasoned that they could hardly say no; he'd practically already promised Annabeth she could come.

Finally, his mom had agreed. Paul was still a bit iffy about it. Okay, he was _really_ iffy. He'd even made Percy sit in the passenger seat of the car when they'd drove to the beach yesterday, and Annabeth in the back—Paul had acted like he was doing her some favor. "You get the whole backseat to yourself," he'd winked at her, and all Percy could do was glare.

And last night. Oh, gods, last night.

Annabeth had been tired from staying up late the night before; she'd told Percy "from studying for a test." Percy had blinked a few times before replying, "Um, we're, like, on winter break. We've finally got a week away from school. Why on earth would you be studying for a test?"

"It's not likeI don't _enjoy_ doing it, Seaweed Brain," she'd told him, and playfully punched him. "Some of us actually _do_ like school."

Anyway, Annabeth had complained of a headache after dinner. She said she wasn't feeling well, so Paul agreed he and Percy wouldn't mind if she went to bed early.

After dinner, Percy went to bed himself, just taking off his shirt and climbing on top of the sheets; it was hot enough to sleep without covers.

A little after ten, just when Percy was about to fall asleep, Annabeth had come into his room, startling him and scaring the Hades out of him.

"Percy?" she'd whispered.

"Um—uh, why are you in my room?" Percy had stammered, fumbling for a shirt.

"I can't sleep," Annabeth complained, and she came to sit on his bed. "Can you give me a massage?"

So she lay down on his bed and he'd gently massaged her aching back. Percy marveled at her back—it was tiny and smooth, but strong. And pretty soon he forgot he wasn't wearing a shirt. It was too dark in the room to tell, anyway.

Afterward, Annabeth had thanked him by pulling him down on the bed with her and kissing him. Did Paul _have_ to take that moment to walk into the bedroom to ask Percy if he'd seen his reading light? And Percy was still shirtless . . .

Yeah, it hadn't been good.

Suddenly Percy heard a knock on his bedroom door. He quickly turned to face the long oval mirror on the wall and snatched a shirt off the ground and slipped it over his head, then walked to his door and opened it.

It was Annabeth.

"Hey," she greeted him.

"Hey. I'm surprised you're even allowed to see me, considering Paul . . ."

"Yeah."

Ugh. So she remembered. Percy had sort of been hoping it had all been a bad dream. Man, Paul had been mad . . .

Annabeth cleared her throat. "I thought you might want to take a walk on the beach with me."

"What! I haven't even eaten breakfast yet," Percy complained.

"You can grab some cereal."

"I'm on _vacation_. I want some _real_ breakfast. You can make, like, bacon and eggs or something, right?"

"Percy! I am _not_ making breakfast for you."

"Why not? I'm your adorable boyfriend, and girls are supposed to know how to cook, right?"

Annabeth crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Hey, don't get all feminist on me—"

"Paul's still sleeping . . ." she interrupted him.

Percy took the hint.

"Oh. Okay." He shuffled his feet, then cleared his throat. "Are we just going for a walk, or . . . ?"

"I'd put your swim trunks on."

"Got it."

Annabeth shut the door, and Percy couldn't help admiring her bluntness. She always seemed to have everything carefully planned and under control.

He quickly changed, then went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair (which was pretty unattainable, but it was worth making an effort for Annabeth). Once he was finished, he went to the kitchen, where his self-management was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek from Annabeth, and a bowl of cereal she'd readied for him herself (shocking).

"I thought you wouldn't make breakfast for me," Percy teased, sitting down and quickly spooning cereal and milk down his throat.

Annabeth scowled. "It's _cereal_, Seaweed Brain, not _bacon and eggs_. That is one thing I will _not_ do for you, is cook. Pouring some cheerios and milk into a bowl doesn't exactly qualify as _cooking_, I think." She turned around so her back was facing him and began doing something in the sink.

Percy smirked and shoveled the last bite of Annabeth's hard-labored, sweat-and-tears-made breakfast for him into his mouth. "Yeah, right. You know what I think? _I_ think there's more to this than meets the eye. _I_ think—" He gasped, and his hands flew to his mouth in fake-shock "—that you can't cook!"

Annabeth didn't reply, so Percy stood up quickly and put his bowl and spoon in the sink, then hugged Annabeth's waist from behind, and kissed the top of her curly head. Annabeth scowled. She must not be _too_ made at him, then, Percy reasoned, if she was only scowling.

"Ready for that walk?" he mumbled into her hair.

"You betcha."

They grabbed a beach ball (Annabeth said she wanted to play in the waves, even though Percy warned her the water was cold at this time of year, and he was _not_ drying her with his water powers after she was being so mean to him), a couple of towels (just in case; Percy pointed out that _he_ wouldn't need one), and a cream-colored sweater for Annabeth (it wasn't _summer_, after all, she muttered; Percy told her that her red one looked cuter on her, and she hit him and told him to shut up).

Outside, Percy was surprised by how warm it was. He and Annabeth walked along the sand, the sun glinting off her golden head. Maybe a swim wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

His mind was quickly settled (NOT a good idea to go swimming in the sea in winter) when they jumped in the water and Percy nearly drowned from the shock of the cold. Annabeth was paralyzed for a moment, too—which gave Percy the sneaky advantage to dunk her head under the water.

Percy half expected his girlfriend to rise up encased in an ice block, but she was okay—just really, really mad.

"PERSEUS JACKSON, YOU!" she roared.

Percy was so busy laughing he didn't notice he'd got dunked in return until the shocking cold met his ears.

He came up quickly, and shoved Annabeth's head under so fast she lost hold of the beach ball, which Percy had to swim after (yeah, he left his girlfriend to go after a beach ball). Annabeth grabbed his feet as he swam away, laughing, trying to pull him under.

"Hey, do you want the ball or not?" Percy grinned at her.

He wasn't feeling so cold now, after all that dunking and playing around. Or maybe he was just so numb his nerves had frozen . . .

He caught up with the ball, and tossed it to Annabeth, whose reflexes were quick (he'd always known), but she bounced the ball back so fast it hit him in the head and he was knocked backward into the waves (good thing he could breathe underwater). Percy didn't mind so much, though; he stayed underwater for a while, trying to make Annabeth nervous, as if he'd got knocked unconscious from the hit. Apparently she took the bait, because the next thing Percy knew, a pair of arms were hauling him upward.

Percy grabbed the beach ball, which was bobbing around on top of the water. When he resurfaced with Annabeth, he bonked the ball on top of her head (gently, though; he didn't want an unconscious girl on his hands), and she gasped and grinned before shoving him back under.

They played ruffians like this for a while, laughing and getting dunked. Percy was having such a good time that he didn't notice a certain quietness as he dived after the beach ball for the hundredth time.

Annabeth's laughter had stopped.

Percy's back was to her, trying to pick some seaweed off of his arm, and as soon as he noticed the quiet, his shoulders tensed.

The beach ball was right in front of him, but he abandoned it and whirled back around to face his girlfriend.

But only the waves, so ice-cold white froth coated the tops of them, greeted him

Annabeth had disappeared.

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**I won't update until I get 20 reviews! Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I am SO sorry for not updating . . . especially after all the lovely reviews you guys gave me. But I had a major problem with fanfiction this last month, and I'm in the process of fixing it, and it was just a big mess. . . . But anyway, I finally got this up, and I hope you all enjoy the chapter! It's a bit longer than normally for my short story chapters. And remember to leave a review! (If you're not too mad at me for not updating; sorry again. :/ I'll try to update quicker now.)**

**Oh, and a shout out to Calirays3490 (guest) who guessed nearly correctly!**

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A familiar panic began to grow in Percy's chest. It was the red-alert _ANNABETH'S-MISSING-OR-IN-DANGER!_ panic—which, sadly, he felt all too often.

He whipped his head from side to side, but there was no sign of her. Okay, so if she wasn't anywhere in sight above water . . .

Percy dived beneath the waves.

He blinked a few times to clear his vision, then slowly swiveled his head around, searching for any sign of his girlfriend.

There was a reef a few feet in front of him, which dropped off to a lower sand bed. Percy swam to it and peered over the edge. There was some colorful coral, fish, and underwater plants . . . but no Annabeth.

Percy squinted to peer farther out into the ocean, past the sand bed—and he could just make out two tiny shapes swimming away, unbelievably fast.

The panic doubled in Percy's chest. Annabeth had been kidnapped! But by whom? And why would anyone want to kidnap her?

_Well, she's smart, pretty, a daughter of Athena . . ._

Percy pushed away the million answers clouding his head.

He swam after the retreating figures—it was fairly easy; they stayed right out in the open water—and Percy started to gain on them, so that now he could just make out curly blond hair billowing from one of the figure's heads.

How could Annabeth be holding her breath for this long? Percy gulped, still swimming quickly. The kidnapper wouldn't have bothered dragging her underwater if they hadn't thought of some way to keep her alive, he tried to reassure himself.

Percy thought he was finally catching up with them, when the two shapes suddenly dipped downward and disappeared. The last Percy saw was a girl's pair of slender legs kicking wildly—as though struggling to get away—before vanishing out of sight. Percy quickly swam forward, determined not to lose them.

When he came to another reef drop-off, he nearly lost the control on his ability to breathe underwater, and his clothes automatically soaked through a little, he was so surprised. The sand bed below was _much_ bigger and farther down than Percy had expected, and there were some giant rock canyons on the sides of it. Of course, the palace was blocking out the sight of most everything else.

Yeah, there was a giant underwater palace built into the sand that fit snugly on the side of one of the canyons. Percy couldn't help himself—he stopped a moment to take in the view.

It was huge beyond belief—and Percy had been to Poseidon's underwater palace (which had, unfortunately, been destroyed during the Titan war, and was in the process of being rebuilt). The walls were made of coral and pearls, and fish and a few peaceful-looking mer-people swam in and out of doorways and arches. A clear, pale-pink bubble surrounded the entire palace, which made Percy feel relieved, as he was sure it was an air bubble, like the mini ones he could create. If Annabeth had been brought to the palace, at least she would be able to breathe.

He swam down past the reef, cautiously, trying not to get spotted. There weren't any problems, though. The fishes all seemed to be going about their own business.

There was a huge doorway in front of him, doorless—and since it was the only official-looking door Percy could find, he swam over to it, and once he'd passed through it he felt a tingle sweep over him. He looked back over his shoulder to see that he had passed through the air bubble, and now he found himself in a dry, giant, oxygenated room, standing on a floor of blue-and-white diamond tiles. The room was empty, with a crystal chandelier hanging above. A few tables lined the walls with empty silver platters on them. At the far end of the room was another doorway, the wood elegantly decorated with gold designs.

Percy scanned his surroundings once more to make sure there were no creepy mer-guards for the palace watching him before hurrying across the room to the doorway. He was so anxious to find Annabeth that he wasn't paying as much attention to his surroundings as he normally would, so when someone with a strong grip grabbed his arms from behind he wasn't completely surprised.

"Hey! Let go of me." Percy tried to kick his captor, but it was a little difficult since the person was behind him, and his legs just ended up getting twisted and he was shoved forward.

Percy heard a grunt, and his captor tightened the hold on his arms. "Master said boy who smell like fish come. Master said to take boy to him."

"Well, maybe I don't want to meet your _master_. And I don't smell like fish!" Percy struggled harder, but he was just kicked from behind, and he stumbled again, then finally succumbed to walking forward, his captor steering him in the right direction.

As Percy was pushed around a corner and through a dim hallway, the walls covered in coral, he tried to twist around to look at his captor.

But he was pushed through a doorway just as he got a glimpse of dark hair, and found himself in a throne room—at least, he guessed it was a throne room, by the long, red velvet carpet running down the middle of the room, which led to a huge, gold-covered throne with studded jewels in its headrest.

His captor pushed him down the room, and Percy kept trying to trip on the carpet so he might have a chance of escaping, but he couldn't seem to get his foot caught on it as he walked.

When Percy was halfway across the room, someone stepped out from behind the huge throne, and Percy only saw the flash of bright-blue clothes and a dark beard before a curly blond head popped out as well, and big gray eyes and a scared expression filled his vision.

_Annabeth._

Percy's captor didn't give him any more trouble, allowing him to break free and run to his girlfriend.

"Annabeth! Are you okay?" Percy asked.

She nodded, then looked at the tall man beside her uncertainly, as though waiting for him to give her permission to speak. Percy finally got a good look at him.

His first thought was that the man reminded him of his dad: he had Poseidon's strong, hefty shape, both Percy's and Poseidon's sea-green eyes, ruddy cheeks, dark hair and a beard, and, like his dad, he was holding a small, blue-colored trident, which hung leisurely at his side.

"Perseus!" the man boomed, and Percy was surprised by how friendly he sounded. "Or, as the young lady refers to you, Percy! Poseidon's barnacles, did your pretty friend give Phylo a hard time when he brought her down here! Come over here so I may introduce myself and explain why you're here."

Percy shot the man an angry glare for giving so many orders, then glanced at Annabeth, and she nodded in conformation. This guy could be trusted . . . at least for now.

Percy glanced over his shoulder and got his first look at his captor Phylo. The man was taller than him and looked like a bodybuilder. He had shoulder-length, tangled black hair, like seaweed, a thick scowl, and his skin held a green tint, so Percy knew he wasn't a human. He was wearing a vest with the top buttons undone, and at his waist hung an unsheathed saber. He gave Percy a nod, as though to say, _You'd better do as you're told, kid,_ before Percy gulped and climbed up the steps to meet the seemingly friendly man who had captured him and Annabeth. He awkwardly shook his hand before rushing to Annabeth and grabbing her in a too-tight hug, probably half crushing her.

"Oh, gods," Percy whispered in her ear. "You scared me _so_ much."

Annabeth gave him a wry smile. "Now you know how I feel all the time."

But they didn't have time for this right now. Percy pulled back and gestured to the man. "Who's this?"

The man looked amused as he watched them. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Inachus."

"The river god?" Percy said.

"Well, _someone_ knows their Greek mythology," Annabeth muttered.

Percy ignored her. "What do you want with us, Inachus? And why did you kidnap Annabeth?" He balled his hands into fists at his sides angrily.

The god's eyebrows raised, as though amused. "The young lady was never in any harm. I even offered her refreshments from my sea creature servants. Bringing her down here was merely a liberty I had to take. I knew if I had Phylo kidnap her, you would follow, and I needed to talk to you both in my palace."

"Are you crazy?" Percy felt hot anger heating his body. "If your guard Phylo wasn't careful enough, she could have drowned! And why did he haul me in here like I was some criminal, huh?"

"Please, Mr. Jackson." Inachus waved a hand. "Why don't both of you have a seat, and I'll get on with the explaining? Phylo," he said, snapping his fingers, and the guard came forward with two chairs under his arms. He set them up in front of the throne, and Inachus took a seat on the golden chair, then looked expectantly at them. Annabeth shrugged and sat down, and Percy reluctantly followed suite.

"I . . . am in a fix," Inachus began. "You might say I have a problem." He laced his fingers together and leaned back, his elbows resting on the throne arms.

"And let me guess: you need us to help fix it?" Percy rolled his eyes, and he saw that Annabeth looked frustrated as well.

"Correct. You see, my daughter died a while ago," Inachus said, and Percy noticed a bit of sadness had crept into his voice. "I suppose you know the story of Io?"

"Eye-oh?" Percy repeated.

Annabeth kicked him in the shin. "Ow," Percy muttered.

"Of course I know the story; I'm a daughter of Athena. I've read about all the famous happenings of the gods." Annabeth sounded miffed.

"So?" Inachus prompted. "Tell us the story, daughter of Athena. It seems the young man does not know it."

Annabeth sighed, then turned to Percy and began, "So, Zeus liked this river god dude's daughter, Io, who was a nymph and lived in the town of Argos, and he visited her every day. Io liked him back, but she didn't know he was a god; she thought he was a prince or something."

"Pretty typical story about the gods," Percy commented.

"Would you just shut up and listen? Anyway, Hera didn't like that Zeus had an interest in this maiden, so she planned to do something bad to her. So to save Io from harm, Zeus turned her into a cow. But Hera knew the cow was really Io, so she cast her on an island with a guard, Argus, but then Zeus wanted to save her again, so he sent Hermes to play sweet music on his flute that made all of Argus's hundred eyes close and he fell asleep, and then Hermes stole Io back for Zeus, but Hera had seen Hermes sneak onto the island, so before he could escape it with Io, she stopped him, and Io was stuck on the island to be miserable. Later, she came across Zeus again, and he turned her back into a human, and then even later she would marry a king of Egypt, or something. And ages after she had died, Hercules would be born as her great-great-great- . . . ah, however many greats-grandson."

"So, you see." Inachus cleared his throat nervously. "I . . . did something a little while ago that I promised myself I would never again do."

Percy and Annabeth exchanged a look, but Inachus didn't offer further information.

"And now . . . strange things have been happening within my palace. I've even seen my daughter's ghost at night . . . I'm afraid she's come back to haunt me, for I did not protect her when Zeus came to her from Olympus, and I knew he was a god but didn't tell her. My men have seen cow prints in the palace walls, and my sea creatures occasionally hear a mournful 'Moo!' in their quarters. I need some demigods to go to an island where minor gods like me are forbidden to go . . . the same island my daughter was banished to by Queen Hera. I need you two to retrieve an object for me there that I think will settle my daughter's spirit. Because I'm having a party at night in my palace this week, and I can't throw a party with ghosts and cow noises crashing it!"

"Well . . ." Percy hesitated, feeling bad for the god. _He_ wouldn't want some creepy spirit in his palace, especially one that ruins parties.

"Where is the island?" Annabeth asked. Percy sighed. If he knew his girlfriend, she'd ask a million questions to get all the details straight before she agreed to anything.

"Near Argos, but that's no problem, as I can transport you."

Percy glanced at Annabeth. She shot him a look, like, _You do realize what this is beginning to feel like again, don't you? Gods manipulating us and using us just because we're demigods?_

But she looked like she felt pity for Inachus, too.

Percy turned to the minor god. "What object is it you want us to retrieve?" he asked.

"A cowbell," Inachus said solemnly.

Annabeth nearly gagged. "What?"

"Hera was generous enough to put the object around Io's neck when she was a cow. When it rang, it helped calm her. I think if I have Phylo walk down the palace halls ringing it for a few nights, my daughter's ghost will forgive me, and she won't ruin my parties!

Annabeth looked skeptical. "And—"

"Look, why would _we_ agree to do this, in the first place? What's in it for us?" Percy interrupted his girlfriend, before she could ask another question. Annabeth shot him a glare.

"Well, I'd hoped you'd help out a poor old man like me," Inachus said pathetically. "But . . . there is a reason I picked you specifically, Percy Jackson, you being a son of Poseidon. I think my daughter's ghost is getting angrier at me . . . she's begun to disturb the water around my palace lately. I'm afraid her spirit will soon expand to the rivers and ocean nearby." He raised a pointed eyebrow at Percy.

Percy got his meaning. If someone didn't do something to settle Io down soon and she started infiltration the ocean, he was going to hear it from his dad. It may as well be him and Annabeth that did it.

Percy looked down at his hands, then looked at Annabeth. He noticed Phylo still standing behind them in the background, guarding his master. "Let's just get this over with," he said. Annabeth nodded in agreement. Mentally, they had already agreed to do this long ago.

Percy took a deep breath. "We'll do it," he said.

Inachus rubbed his hands together. "Oh, you have no idea how _delighted_ I am! I'll just make the quick transporting arrangements, and then you'll be on your way. The cowbell should just be lying around on the island somewhere. It's quite a small island, I'm sure you'll find the bell easily." Then he brought up his mini-trident and began fiddling with its points and muttering to himself.

"Sure, we all know how _perfect_ these quests always turn out to be," Percy mumbled sarcastically.

"All right!" Inachus straightened up. "I've made the adjustments, so I'll transport you in just . . ."

"Wait, how will you know when to bring us back?" Annabeth asked.

"It's all been arranged, my dear!" Inachus smiled like a madman and shot blue light out of his trident at them. The light encircled them, and Percy gasped at its icy feel. He grabbed for Annabeth's hand so he wouldn't lose her during the transportation, and to make sure they didn't end up on different ends of the island, however small it was.

The last thing he saw before Inachus's trident worked its power was Phylo standing behind his master's throne, still scowling.

The river god grinned widely at them. "Have a nice trip!"

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**In reply to Guest's review: ****_"YAY! I loved your sequel to The Staff of Hermes, and I have high hopes for this one! By the way, are you Rick Riordan in disguise? The writing seems exactly like the books... Oh well, I guess that's how AWESOME of a writer you are. Keep writing! (and updating!)"_**** Thank you! I'm glad you like my stories and my writing! :D And no, I'm pretty sure I'm not Rick Riordan . . . :P Thanks you for your review, I'll try to update faster!**

**In reply to Guest's review: ****_"Haha Paul, what did he do when he cought percy and annabeth?"_**** Um . . . let's just say he got really mad. Like Percy said, it was bad. You don't even want to know. And he never even found his reading light. :P**


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